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Why should you know more about Christ?
By Nelson Thomas Mumbai
Summary: - The Lord Jesus Christ wants every Christian to be more and more close to Him. Not only our salvation but our entire life depends upon our understanding of Christ. The amazing 10 results of knowing Christ more intimately force us to make every effort to learn about Christ more personally and profoundly.
Introduction
Around two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus Christ asked two questions to His disciples, which resound even today.
- “Who do men say that I the son of man am?” (Matthew.16:13)
- “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew.16:15)
Normally no mortal man would dare to ask such questions. If they do, we would immediately condemn them as arrogant and self-righteous. But the Lord Jesus Christ, who is definitely the most humble and meek among the sons of men, chose to make these questions with valid intentions.
Both the questions are still relevant and we ought to give a definite and clear answer. He is not just satisfied by hearing the public opinion of Himself. When the disciples reported, “some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets...” He immediately asked, “But who do you say that I am?”
Even today the general public has varied views of Christ. Some would consider Him as an ordinary man, others as a good man, or a guru. There are some who count Him as the first communist revolutionary! But what do you say about Christ? What do you know about Him?
Mount Transfiguration
Notice that, not only Christ invited their estimation of Himself, He did something more to give disciples a clear picture of Himself. In Matthew 17:1ff we see Him taking selected disciples with Him on a mount and transfigured before them. “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” V.2c. It was a preview of His heavenly glory. They also listened to the words of the Father, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.” V.5c.
From John.2:11 we understand that the main purpose of Christ’s miracles were to reveal His glory, and seeing that people may believe Him.
Luke says that after His resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ took forty days in presenting Himself alive by many infallible proofs. Acts.1:3. Again in the book of Revelation we see after His ascension to heaven the Lord Jesus Christ reveals His glory to Apostle John and through him to the 7 churches in Asia. There we see Him referring to some aspects of His glory while giving message to each angel of the church. Rev. 1:12—18; 2:1, 8, 12 etc.
One thing is very clear from the above instances that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to know Him to a greater extent. He wants to reveal Himself more and more to us and we may be gripped by the realization of who He is.
Why is it so necessary? Why does He insist us to Know Him increasingly? Two things are noteworthy.
A. A CHRISTIAN’S ENTIRE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS BASED ON THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
That is an important distinction between the way of Christ and the so-called religions. Religion is based on the teachings or ideologies of the founder. It is not necessary for their followers to examine the moral qualities and perfections of the founder. Their concern is mainly on his teachings. They can survive even without the founder!
But in Christianity, a follower’s faith and life is based on Christ Himself. His person and work is very important for a Christian. It is the divine and moral qualities and perfections of Christ that makes Him worthy to be our saviour. If He is not what He claimed to be, His work on the Cross has no value, His claim is false and then our faith is fake and void! Yes, without Christ a believer has no survival at all.
The scriptures reveal number of results by knowing Christ. An examination of those things will show us how imperative it is to know the Lord Jesus more and more.
- Our salvation: - Not by any ritual but by knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.
“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life.” John.6:40
“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ who You have sent.” John.17:3
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans.10:9.
Before one can be saved from sin and its eternal punishment he / she needs to know who Christ is and trust and acknowledge Him as the saviour and Lord. Cf. John 8:24
- Our freedom: - By knowing the word of Christ, the truth and truth will set us free.
“You shall know the truth and, and the truth shall make you free.” “If the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John.8:32, 36.
This freedom refers to the bondage of sin, flesh, world and certain emotional disturbances like worry, fear etc. Even after experiencing salvation it may be possible for a Christian to live as a slave to such things. He gets freedom as he knows Christ and His word.
- Our growth: - In the knowledge of Christ.
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter.3:18 “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians. 2:6, 7.
Our spiritual growth is in proportion to our personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The more we know and experience Him, the more we shall become like Him. That is true spiritual growth.
- Our life: - by feeding on to Christ.
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John.6:57. Just as we need food for physical sustenance for our daily spiritual sustenance we need to feed on to Him. That means we need to read His word and know more of Christ and experience Him.
- Our ministry: - be with Him and see His glory.
“You also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” John.15:27.
“For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts.4:20.
“We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but, were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter.1:15.
Any Christian ministry in its true sense commences and continues in association with Christ. (Isaiah. 6:1—8) An intimate and fresh acquaintance with Christ gives power and passion in witnessing for Christ.
- Our rest / peace of mind: - by walking with Christ.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls.” Matthew. 11:29
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians.4:6, 7.
Rest from the burden of sin is not enough for a Christian. He needs rest every day, from the troubles and difficulties of day to day life. How is it possible? Walk close to Him, be under His yoke. Learn from Him. Then he will experience rest in his heart and mind.
This is true peace of mind -rest for souls. Staying away from Christ means vulnerable to restless life.
- Our encouragement / strength: - by focusing on Christ.
“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your minds.” Hebrews. 12:3.
In this Christian race there are occasions we may feel exhausted, then the writer exhorts us to look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. What would be the result, we will not be discouraged in our mind.
We see its evidence in the book of Acts. In the closing pages of the gospels we find the disciples discouraged, depressed and even frightened thinking their Master is dead and gone. But how do we see them in the book of Acts? We see them totally changed, willing to give their life for the truth of Christ’s resurrection. Nobody could even stop them from proclaiming it. Such encouragement and strength comes as a result of seeing and trusting Christ in a personal manner.
- Our worship: - Result of seeing His glory and greatness.
“When I saw Him I fell at His feet as dead.” Revelation.1:17. True worship is the spontaneous reaction to the vision of Christ’s majesty.
- Our transformation-present and future: - by beholding Him.
“We all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory , just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians.3:18.
Moses spent time with the Lord on the mountain and as a result his face began to shine. Paul argues that it was fading glory. But we New Testament believers have the privilege of looking to the face of Christ and be transformed to His image from glory to glory.
- Our future:- See Him as He and be conformed to Him.
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1John.3:2.
Yes, that is what we are looking forward to: to see Him as He is and be like Him. Then, throughout eternity we are going to keep on beholding His face and worshipping Him. “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Revelation. 22:3, 4.
Consider the magnitude of the outcome of our close association with Christ. Enormous spiritual effects take place as we grow in our knowledge of Christ. No wonder Apostle Paul longed to know Christ more even after 25 years of Christian life. Phil.3:10.
B. POOR UNDERSTANDING OF CHRIST ALWAYS LEADS TO FAILRUES.
Just as the knowledge of Christ influences our life for better, the absence of it definitely has its repercussions. Our closeness to Him helps us to be transformed to Him, at the same time, any distance we keep from the Lord leads to failure.
For example, Peter experienced it twice. In Matthew 14:30 we read how Peter began to sink as he lost the sight of Christ. Luke writes, when Christ was arrested and taken to the High Priest’s house, “Peter followed at a distance.” Luke.22:54. We read later that this action of Peter further deteriorated even to the denial of Christ. Luke. 22:55—61. What a tragedy, when we go away from the care and blessings of the blessed Lord Jesus Christ.
That exactly what happens in our spiritual life once our eyes are taken away from Christ and the intimacy with the Him is lost. Consider those New Testament churches with problems. We can notice that all of them had lost the right view of Christ.
- Corinthians: - Focused on people –asked to imitate Christ. 1Cor.11:1
- Galatians: - Focused on Old Testament – rebuked them for losing sight. Gal.3:1
- Colossians: - Wrong teaching about Christ – asked to fix minds on the place where Christ is. Col.3:1
- Hebrews: - Looked back - asked to look to Christ. Heb.3:1; 12:1
- Ephesians: - Lost love for Christ – advised to repent. Rev.2:1—5
- Laodicians: - Put Christ out - asked to open doors for Him. Rev.3:20.
In all these occasions we see the reason for the problems as well as the solution is connected to believer’s perception of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 2, 3 we see the Lord Jesus Christ revealing some aspects of His glory that He unveiled to John.
This shows one truth that, spiritual lethargy and failures in a Christian’s life is basically the result of his departure from Christ. When a believer departs from Christ in his knowledge and devotion of Him, spiritual declension begins. As we grow in our knowledge of Christ and intimacy with Him we will experience spiritual zeal, growth and victory.
No wonder David Brainerd wrote like this, “When my people are gripped by this evangelical doctrine of Christ and Him crucified, I had no need to give them instruction about morality.”
So beloved, let us take conscious and serious efforts to know more about the Lord Jesus Christ from the pages of the Bible and enjoy His power and presence in our daily life. In this series of studies it will be our effort to study together the person of Christ and His work as set forth in the word of God.
NTK
Related topics:
THE DEITY OF CHRIST; How do we know that He is God?
THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST
02/11/2017
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